Arrangement for maintaining a closure in any of a plurality of open positions



March 4, 1952 R w WOLF 2,587,947

ARRANGEMENT FOR MAINTAINING A CLOSURE IN ANY OF A PLURALITY OF OPEN POSITIONS Filed Aug. 18, 1950 3 sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR ROBE/PTM WOLF,

March 4, 1952 R. w. WOLF 2,587,947

' ARRANGEMENT FOR MAINTAINING A CLOSURE IN ANY OF A PLURALITY OF OPEN POSITIONS Filed Aug. 18, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 BY RQMM ATTORNEY March 4, 1952 R. w. WOLF ARRANGEMENT FOR MAINTAINING A CLOSURE IN ANY OF A PLURALITY OF OPEN POSITIONS I5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 18 1950 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 4, 1952 ARRANGEMENT FOR MAINTAINING A CLO SURE IN ANY OF A PLURALITY OF OPEN POSITIONS Robert W.Wolf, Philadelphia, Pa. Application August 18, 1950, Serial No. 180,283

2 Claims.

1 Thisinvention relates to improvements in devices for urging a hinged closure toward an open position and for holding the closure in at least one preselected open position. The invention is particularly useful in, but not limited in applica- "tion to, automatic electric dishwashers and the like.

It is aprimary object of the invention to pro-- vide an arrangement for use with a pair of members hinged to each other, one of which members is a closure, said arrangement comprisxing biasing means carried by one of said members for urging the closure member toward open position, and means carried by the other member for receiving said bias and for defining at least one preselected open position for said closure member.

Another object of the invention is to provide an arrangement as set forth in the preceding object, the means for receiving the bias being camlike and including portions defining each preselected open position of the closure.

.Another object of the invention is to provide an arrangement for use with a pair of members hinged to each other, one of which members is a closure, said arrangement comprising biasing means carried by one of said members for urging theclosure member toward open position, a bias transmitting element hinged to the member carrying said biasing means, and bias receiving means carried by the other member for receiving bias through said bias transmitting member, said bias receiving means being cam-like and having surfaces defining, in cooperation with said bias transmitting element, at least one preselected open position.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide an improved device for an automatic electric dishwasher which will urge a dishwasher lid upwardly and will, upon release of the lid from a locked shut position, move the lid to a first open position from which it is manually movable to one or more dish loadinand unloading positions in which the lid is more remote from its closed position. These open positions preferably are arranged so as to allow for installation of a dishwasher machine below an overhead cabinet where the lid cannot be opened completely, the lid being restricted to an open angle of around, say, 50 degrees from horizontal.

The open positions also preferably include a wide open or practically vertical position to which the lid may be moved manually in order to provide even better access to the interior of the dishwasher tub such being useful for an installationof the dishwasher machine where there "is no overhead cabinet or other obstruction above the machine.

It is even'still a further object of this invention to provide an improved device that is operated automatically to open a dishwasher lid to a dryi do 12 ing position, which is also manually adjustable to other selected positions, and which is simple, economical to manufacture, accurate and reliable in operation, and which is inexpensive to maintain.

To summarize briefly, this invention. relates to an improved means for "urging a hinged lid to open position, and including, in a preferred embodiment, camming means cooperative with the urging means for retaining the lid selectively in any one of anumber of open positions.

These and other objects are effected by this invention as will be apparent from the: following description and claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view, partlyin elevation, of a preferred embodiment of the invention and taken on line 1-1 of Fig.2;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a righthinge assembly constructedand arranged in accordance with my invention, and shown mounted on the top of a dishwasher;

Fig. 3 is a horizontalcross sectional view taken along the line :22 of .Fig. 11 looking downwardly and in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken along the line Iii-30f Fig. 1 looking downwardly and in the direction :of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken along the .line 4-4 of Fig. 2,.looking from the front of the dishwasher machine and in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view showing the lid in the first or least open position;

Fig. "7 is a transverse sectional view showing the lid in the secondor intermediate position; and

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view showing ithelid in the third or practically vertical posi- Referring now to Fig. 2, reference character 10 refers to aclosure :or lid supported at the upper rear surface :of a dishwasher. machine by two hinges, one of which is shown generally :at I l, for movement "about horizontal pivot hinge pins 12. Since .theoperation and structure of the hinging apparatus :isidentical for both hinges :l I, .only one'will be described hereafter. A lower hinge plate 13, .shown .in :Fig. 5, isimc-unted on the upper :surface .01 the icasing .cover I5. Directly *rbelow hi-nge :H is .=a clamping plate 16. A gasket l8-is located-between the clamping pie to IBand-thetcasing cover I15. .A hinge escutcheon I] is used to shield the lower hinge plate l3. Lower hinge plate 13., gasket 18, and clamping plate I 6 and the ihinge-iescutcheon H are retained in position on the.casing cover [5 by means of .two hexagonal .head jbolts .20.

Lower :hing'e plate :13 :has a l'central opening in which hangs a :pair :of spaced ,frame :members 42, integral flange mentions :Mxo'f which Eli-e along r 3 the upper surface of plate l3 on opposite sides of the .opening and are welded thereto. These frame members 42 serve to support a biasing arrangement which will be described presently. Escutcheon plate ll, has a raised central portion overlying flanges 24 as shown in Fig. 5, and a central opening extending from the rear edge almost to the front margin of the escutcheon.

Pivot hinge pin 12 provides hinged support for an upper hinge blade 25 which is pivoted at its rear end 26 to lower hinge plate I3. The

forward end 21 of the upper hinge blade 25 serves to support the dishwasher lid Ill and it is attached to the upper surface of a depression 28 in the rear portion of the lid 16 by means of bolts 29 shown in Fig. 2. The axis of the hinge pin I2 is located above the upper surface of the casingcover l5.

The upper end portions of frame members 42 support a bias transmitting element 3! positioned in the space between the frame members and pivotable about a pin 46 which passes through the frame members. Element 3| cooperates with a cam-like arrangement 6| to hold the lid in at least one end preferably three preselected open positions as shown in Figs. 6, 7, and 8, and as will be explained in detail presently.

The pivoted element 3|, which is generally triangular or segmental in shape, is made up of sheet metal stampings for convenience and includes two end plates 36 which are separated by two spacers 31, all, in turn, being pinned to gether'at 38 so as to move as one integral piece. Pivoted element 3| extends through a. slot 39 cut in casing cover l and clamping plate 16 for movement about a horizontal pivot pin 40 carried by vertical frame members 42 and passing throughenlarged hubs 40a in plates 36, 31. The hub 40a is located at whatwould be one vertex of the triangular or segmental element 3| and a pair of rollers 46 and 48 are located at its other vertices. The lower roller 46 is in engagement with a stud 49, of an adjustable biasing device which will be described presently, and upper roller 48 cooperates with the cam-like arrangement 6|.

The biasing device is best shown in Fig. 1, and is carried by the spaced frame members 42. These members carry just below pivot pin '46 a guide 55 which extends forwardly of the members 42 and has an'opening 5501.. As shown in Fig. 3, members 42 have shallow slots 42a in their front edges into which winged side portions of guide 55 fitin order to anchor the guide 55 in place against upward or downward movement. Welding completes the attachment of guide 55 to members 42.

Members 42 are bent inwardly toward each other at their lower ends 45 and are welded together.

Near the lower ends of members 42, theyare roughened or notched along their front edges at 6|] and the lowermost part of each member is of reduced width from front to rear as shown in the portion 44. This portion 44 supports a lower guide 56 which is shaped as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. Guide 56 has notches in its sides receiving frame member portions 44, and these notches are sufliciently longer from front to rear than the frame members that they permit the rear portion to be disposedat an angle to the horizontal so as to be urged into engagement with notches 60 to hold the guide 56 in place. By raising the forward end of guide 56 and-thus moving it through a' slight are, it can be disengaged from notches 60 to adjust its position. Guide 56 has a circular opening 56a in its .for-

d ward portion. Notches 66 are not essential and may be eliminated.

A drive transmitting element 56 in the form of a cylinder having a hole 53 in its upper end is slidable in opening 56a. The hole 53 receives by a press fit an upper portion or stud 49 which holds a collar 58 between it and the upper end of element 54. For purposes of simplicity, the assembly, 49, 56, 58, will be referred to as a spring pressed rod 54.

Rod 54 is mounted for movement upwardly or downwardly and is retained in proper vertical position by means of guides 55 and 56. A coil spring 5'! is positioned about rod 54 between the guide or spring adjuster 56 and washer 58.

Spring 51 urges rod 54 upwardly so that rod end 59 and its large, flat end surface are always in contact with lower roller 46. At the same time, coil spring 51 prevents rod 54 from slipping downwardly and out of proper operating position. The spring pressed movement of the rod 54 upwardly urges the lower roller 46 upwardly and, at the same time, tends to cause pivotal movement of the pivoted member 3% about its horizontal pivot pin 40 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1.

The upper surface of upper hinge plate 25 carries a cam-like member 6! on its under surface. Plate member 65 is welded at each of its four corners to the upper hinge blade 25.

Cam-like member 6i has two raised portions and is conveniently stamped from sheet metal. Of the two teeth like portions 68 and T2, forward tooth portion 66 is smaller in depth than tooth portion l2. Both tooth portions have smooth convex-concave surfaces of diiferent curvatures for line contact or engagement with the surface of upper roller 48. The teeth portions are joined by a concave portion it having a curvature matching that of upper roller G6. The open positions of the lid H] are defined by contact of upper roller 46 with the front surface 69 of the forwardmost tooth portion 68, or the surface 15 between the two teeth-like portions 68 and '52, or the forwardmost surface 13 of the rearmost tooth portion 12, the three portions just named giving wider open positions of the lid M) as shown in Figs. 6, '7, and 8, in the order named.

The holding of the lid it in the various positions is not a positive holding, since slight additional manual pressure on the lid it} will force it to a more open or more closed position, depending upon the preselected position to which it is desired to move the lid.

In operation, of the various positions of the lid l0, there is the first and least open position shown in Fig. 6 to which lid i6 is initially urged by spring 51 when a catch member (not shown) holding the lid shut is released during the automatic cycle of operation of the'dishwashing machine. In this position, the lid 56 forms an angle of approximately 15 to 20 degrees with the upper surface of the casing cover 55. The lid it occupies this position normally, and also during the drying operation. 7

The automatic movement of the lid to this first open position is accomplished, upon release of the latch (not shown) by upward pressure of spring 5'! on roller 46, causing clockwise movement of bias transmitting element St about pivot 46 resulting in upward movement of the lid as roller 46 exerts pressure on portion ll of piece 6|. This movement continues until the roller 48 contacts the forward sloping surface 69 of cam tooth 68 which halts the movement and thus defines the first open position.

In order to load dishes into or remove them from the machine, the lid may be opened manually to a next position shown in Fig. 7, Where roller 48 contacts curve iii, the rear surface of which prevents further automatic opening. This position has been selected and provided for an installation where the machine is used below an overhead cabinet, or where it is not desirable to open the lid to a substantially wider position.

Where there is no overhead cabinet above the machine, the lid IB can be opened manually to the third position, illustrated in Fig. 8, which is approximately at an angle of 85 degrees with the upper surface of the casing cover 55. In this position, better access can be had to a tub of the dish- Washer machine. In this third position, the tip of the rearmost tooth portion i2 is in engagement with the upper roller 48 and the lid is supported thereby. The uppermost limit of movement of rod 54 is here defined by the contact of the upper surface of collar 58 with guide 55.

Lid It can also be raised manually to a vertical position. However, in this position the upper roller 48 is not in engagement with the plate memshown, but only the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A biasing arrangement in combination with a pair of hinged members, one of which members is a closure, for urging the closure member to open position and for defining three predetermined open positions for the closure member and between which positions said closure member is movable manually, said arrangement comprising frame structure attached to the other of said members, biasing means carried by said other member for urging the closure member away from said other member, said biasing means including a driving element carried by said frame structure, said driving element extending transversely of the closed position of said closure, a

lower guide for said driving element, said guide being adjustably mounted on said frame member, a projection on the upper portion of said driving element, and a coil spring about said driving element and compressed between said projection and said lower guide so as to urge said driving element toward said closure, bias transmitting means receiving bias from said biasing means, said bias transmitting means comprising a bias transmitting element pivoted to said frame structure about a hinge axis spaced from the hinge axis of said closure member, a lower roller carried by said bias transmitting element, in engagement with the upper end of said driving element for receiving bias therefrom, bias receiving means carried by the closure member, and an upper roller carried by said bias transmitting means in engagement with said bias receiving means, said bias receiving means including a cam-like member having two teeth-like portions joined by a concave portion, said concave portion having a surface configuration complementary to that of said upper roller, the first of said teethlike portions being more remote from the hinge axis of said closure member than the second Qf said teeth-like portions, said teeth-like portions cooperating with said upper roller to define predetermined open positions for said closure in which said closure is located at progressively greater angles with regard to said other mernber, the least open position being defined by engagement of said upper roller with the forwardmost surface of said first tooth-like portion, the next position being defined by engagement of said upper roller with the concave portion located between said teeth-like portions,'and the third and most open position being defined by engagement of said upper roller with the tip part of the rearmost tooth-like portion.

2. A biasing arrangement in combination with a pair of hinged members, one of which members is a closure, for urging the closure member to open position and for defining a plurality of pre-- determined open positions for the closure member and between which positions said closure member is movable manually, said arrangement comprising frame structure attached to the other of said members, biasing means carried by said other member for urging the closure member away from said other member, said biasing means including a driving element carried by said frame structure, said driving element extending transversely of the closed position of said closure, at lower guide for said driving element, said guide 1 being adjustably mounted on said frame member,

a projection on the upper portion of said driving element, and a coil spring about said driving e1ement and compressed between said projection and said lower guide so as to urge said driving element toward said closure, bias transmitting means receiving bias from said biasing means, said bias transmitting means comprising a bias transmitting element pivoted to said frame structure about a hinge axis spaced from the hinge axis of said closure member, a lower roller carried by said bias transmitting element, in sin gagement with the upper end of said driving element for receiving bias therefrom, bias receiving means carried by the closure member, and an upper roller carried by said bias transmitting means in engagement with said bias receiving means, said bias receiving means including a cam-like member having at least two teeth-like portions joined by a concave portion, said concave portion having a surface configuration complementary to that of said upper roller, the first of said teeth-like portions being more remote from the hinge axis of said closure member than the second of said teeth-like portions, said teethlike portions cooperating with said upper roller to define predetermined open positions for said closure in which said closure is located at progressively greater angles with regard to said other member.

ROBERT W. WOLF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,538,726 Moran May 19, 1925 1,645,977 Titus Oct. 18, 1927 1,700,941 Kurowski Feb. 5, 1929 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 8,637 Great Britain of 1886 

